He was the younger brother of Charlie Palmieri. When he was only 5 years old, he used to musically accompany Charlie and together they would enter and participate in many talent contests. Eddie performed at Carnegie Hall when he was 11 years old and formed his own band in 1950, when he was just 14. During the 1950s, Palmieri played in various bands, including Tito Rodriguez's.
In 1962, Palmieri formed the band La Perfecta, which included trombone player Barry Rogers and singer Ismael Quintana. The music to the Charanga required an orchestra with a flute and violins, but Eddie also added a mixture of trumpets and trombones. He also experimented by including a touch of jazz in his recordings. He recorded, among others, Lo Que Traigo Es Sabroso (What I Bring is Juicy) and Mozambique, before the group disbanded in 1968.
Palmieri's "La Perfecta" departed from the traditional Caribbean sources of salsa instrumentation by introducing a new stylistic device into the New York Latin sound. Their signature sound relied heavily on two trombones and a flute instead of trumpets. The combination helped to give La Perfecta a rich and bold sound which contributed to Palmieri's success with his new band.
In 1971, Palmieri recorded Vamonos Pa'l Monte (Going to the Mountain) with his brother Charlie at the organ. That same year he also recorded Eddie Palmieri & Friends in Concert, At the University of Puerto Rico. In 1974, Eddie won the first ever Grammy Award for Best Latin Recording with The Sun of Latin Music, which is historic, as it was the first time Latin Music was recognized by the National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences.
In the 1990s, Palmieri had participated in various concerts and recordings with the Fania All-Stars and the Tico All-Stars; he also introduced La India with the production of Llego La India via Eddie Palmieri (La India has arrived via Eddie Palmieri), released in 1992.
Eddie actively tours the United States, Europe, South America as well as many other countries, and made his first appearance in China in 2008. He has been honored with numerous prestigious awards, one being an honorary doctorate degree from the Berklee College of Music, as well as inducted into both the Bronx Walk of Fame and the Chicago Walk of Fame.
Eddie has a career spanning over 50 years as well as a discography of 36 titles. He is one of the most influential and legendary Latin musicians.
17.1
Eddie Palmieri Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Miscellaneous
Ghetto Quran (Forgive Me Pt. 1)
[Talking]
Uh huh, uh huh, uh huh
Southside, what y′all niggas know about the dirty south?
One time
[Chorus]
Lord forgive me, for I've sinned
Over and over again, just to stay on top
I recall memories, filled with sin
Over and over again, and again
Yo, when you hear talk of the southside, you hear talk of the team
See niggas feared Prince and respected Preme
For all you slow muthafuckas I′m a break it down iller
See Preme was a business man and Prince was the killer
Remember, he used to push the bulletproof BM, uh huh
This here get ya seasick, I sat back and peeped shit
The roll with Easy Rider and they ain't get blunted
Had the whole projects workin for fifty on five-hundred
As a youth, all I ever did was sell crack
I used to idolize cat
Heart me in my heart to hear that nigga snitched on Pat, how he go out like
That?
Rumors in the hood was? was snitchin
I ain't believe that, pa, he helped me cop my first GSX-R
Had the four-runner, the Z, the 5 and the 3
Used to drive his truck through the hood draggin jet skis
From Gerald Wallace to Baby Wise, don′t be suprised
Of how freely I thought of names of games who dealt with pies
Like L-A-N-Y′s, L got shot in the neck, then told us connect
Them niggas who shot 'em got ′em for ten bricks
Fuckin Dominicans, turned around and gave 'em more bricks
[Chorus]
That first verse is just a dose of the shit that I′m on
Consider this the first chapter in the ghetto's Quran
I know a lot of niggas that get dough like Remmy and Joe
And Prince and Rightous from Hillside with the mole on his nose
Throughout my struggles through the hood, I started learnin
Life′s a bitch, with a pretty face, but she burnin
Man I'm a get cheese like Chaz then run through wips like Cigar
Gamble all the time like country-curly head Prince and Tata
Po-po under pressure too, they know what they facin
Go against crews like B-Bo and killers like Patty Mason
A lotta niggas I know been corrupted since birth
Enticed to rob nuns for fun, for everything they worth
I know some cats that hail at old complexes like Cooley Wall
Together niggas stand and divided they fall
Round here, shook niggas they keep it in motion
Come around here with your rollie you can get robbed like Ocean
Lord knows, Tommy had loved and sold
Helicopters, Rolls Royces with Louie VaTonne interior
Might sound like I'm fantasizin, but son I′m dead serious
Montanna was no dummy, brought Benice to watch the money
Had money out the ass, he politic like the Asian
FEDs couldn′t catch him dirty so settled for tax evasion
[Chorus]
Yo, rest in peace to Rich and Ron, money what they was about yo
The twins was some queens but got crazy cream with Alpo
Throughout my time I heard tales of Himey, Frenchy, Jamaican Pauly, Ducky
Cally
Rodney Bump and Chick, shit
A lot a niggas flow the way I flow
But ain't been in the game all their life so don′t know who I know
Writin rhymes is the best way I express how I feel
If I ain't rich by twenty-six, I′ll be dead or in jail
Comin up I heard sippin to much booze'll leave you confused
And if you watch the news you see playas in this game that lose
I′m forgettin Lefty and Jazz, Pretty Tony and Lance
Head Lou, Mel son, Troy and E Money Bags
And a conversation over shrimp and lobster
And Benny Hiners heard Chico stopped boxin, and started robbin diners
Shout out to Clanvis and Clutch, Bob Dre, Black Will
If the flow don't kill you the Mac will
[Chorus]
The lyrics to this song, Ghetto Quran (Forgive Me Pt. 1) by 50 Cent, are about life in the southside and the experiences that the singer has had. The chorus talks about asking for forgiveness for his sins that he has committed "over and over again" in order to stay on top. Throughout the song, the singer talks about different people he knows, including Preme (a respected businessman) and Prince (a killer who used to drive a bulletproof BM). He also talks about his experiences selling crack and idolizing certain people in his community. He mentions the names of different people in his community, some of whom have been corrupted since birth and others who have made significant money through illegal means, such as Rich and Ron who were all about money, and the twins who made a lot of money with Alpo. The singer expresses his desire for wealth and his understanding that life is tough but he hopes to make it through. He concludes by shouting out some of his friends and acquaintances.
The lyrics to this song are raw and paint a vivid picture of life in the southside. They offer insight into the world of drugs and crime and the struggles of individuals trying to make it in a challenging environment. The lyrics also reference real people and events, which adds to the authenticity of the song. The repetition of the phrase "over and over again" in the chorus is particularly powerful, as it highlights the cyclical nature of life in the ghetto.
Line by Line Meaning
Uh huh, uh huh, uh huh
Introductory sounds
Southside, what y′all niggas know about the dirty south?
Asks what the listener knows about the Southern area
Lord forgive me, for I've sinned
Asks for forgiveness for past wrongdoings
Over and over again, just to stay on top
Repeatedly committed sins to maintain power and success
I recall memories, filled with sin
Remembers past experiences that were sinful in nature
Over and over again, and again
Reiterates the repetition of past sins
Yo, when you hear talk of the southside, you hear talk of the team
The Southern area is known for its teamwork
See niggas feared Prince and respected Preme
Prince was feared while Preme was highly respected
For all you slow muthafuckas I′m a break it down iller
I'm going to explain it more intensely for those who don't understand
See Preme was a business man and Prince was the killer
Different roles were played by Preme and Prince in their endeavors
Remember, he used to push the bulletproof BM, uh huh
Recalling how Prince had a bulletproof vehicle
This here get ya seasick, I sat back and peeped shit
This knowledge is profound and took some time to understand
The roll with Easy Rider and they ain't get blunted
Remembers how Easy Rider's group didn't indulge in drugs
Had the whole projects workin for fifty on five-hundred
Managed the local neighborhood and kept control
As a youth, all I ever did was sell crack
Growing up, selling crack was a common activity
I used to idolize cat
Admired a certain person
Heart me in my heart to hear that nigga snitched on Pat, how he go out like
Upset that someone betrayed Pat and caused him harm
That?
Asking if the rumor is true
Rumors in the hood was? was snitchin
There were rumors circulating that someone was a snitch in the neighborhood
I ain't believe that, pa, he helped me cop my first GSX-R
Didn't believe the rumors since that person helped me before
Had the four-runner, the Z, the 5 and the 3
Owned a variety of vehicles
Used to drive his truck through the hood draggin jet skis
Drove a truck and even dragged jet skis
From Gerald Wallace to Baby Wise, don′t be suprised
Various names of people and not to be surprised by them
Of how freely I thought of names of games who dealt with pies
Thoughts on those who sold drugs openly
Like L-A-N-Y′s, L got shot in the neck, then told us connect
Talks about a person being shot and how they still made connections
Them niggas who shot 'em got ′em for ten bricks
The people who committed the shooting did it for drugs
Fuckin Dominicans, turned around and gave 'em more bricks
Dominicans gave more drugs to the shooters
That first verse is just a dose of the shit that I′m on
The first verse is just a taste of what I'm talking about
Consider this the first chapter in the ghetto's Quran
This is like the first chapter of the ghettos bible
I know a lot of niggas that get dough like Remmy and Joe
Knows people who make a lot of money
And Prince and Rightous from Hillside with the mole on his nose
Referring to two people from Hillside
Throughout my struggles through the hood, I started learnin
Learned many things while growing up in the tough neighborhood
Life's a bitch, with a pretty face, but she burnin
Life may seem nice, but it has many painful moments
Man I'm a get cheese like Chaz then run through wips like Cigar
Plans to make money and buy expensive cars
Gamble all the time like country-curly head Prince and Tata
Gambles often like his friends Prince and Tata
Po-po under pressure too, they know what they facin
The police are also under pressure and know the challenges they face
Go against crews like B-Bo and killers like Patty Mason
Fights against dangerous groups and people
A lotta niggas I know been corrupted since birth
Knows many people who were born into corruption
Enticed to rob nuns for fun, for everything they worth
Some people were influenced to rob innocent people for enjoyment and profit
I know some cats that hail at old complexes like Cooley Wall
Knows people that reside in old complexes
Together niggas stand and divided they fall
Stays united to prevent falling apart
Round here, shook niggas they keep it in motion
Around here, fearful people continue to move forward
Come around here with your rollie you can get robbed like Ocean
If someone shows off their expensive watch here, they may get robbed
Lord knows, Tommy had loved and sold
Tommy had experience and success in love and selling drugs
Helicopters, Rolls Royces with Louie VaTonne interior
Owned luxurious items such as helicopters and cars with expensive interiors
Might sound like I'm fantasizin, but son I′m dead serious
May sound unbelievable but it's actually true
Montanna was no dummy, brought Benice to watch the money
Montanna was smart and had someone watch his money
Had money out the ass, he politic like the Asian
Had a lot of money and behaved like a politician
FEDs couldn′t catch him dirty so settled for tax evasion
Couldn't catch him for anything incriminating so charged him for tax evasion instead
Yo, rest in peace to Rich and Ron, money what they was about yo
Pays respects to two people who were all about making money
The twins was some queens but got crazy cream with Alpo
Two people had power and success while working with Alpo
Throughout my time I heard tales of Himey, Frenchy, Jamaican Pauly, Ducky
Heard stories about various people
Rodney Bump and Chick, shit
Referencing more people
A lot a niggas flow the way I flow
Many people rap the way he does
But ain't been in the game all their life so don′t know who I know
Have not been in the rap game as long and don't know the same people
Writin rhymes is the best way I express how I feel
Expresses himself best through writing lyrics
If I ain't rich by twenty-six, I′ll be dead or in jail
Plans to be successful by the age of twenty-six or face unfortunate circumstances
Comin up I heard sippin to much booze'll leave you confused
Growing up he heard drinking too much alcohol leaves one feeling confused
And if you watch the news you see playas in this game that lose
Many people in the game lose and it's evident in the news
I′m forgettin Lefty and Jazz, Pretty Tony and Lance
Recalling more people's names
Head Lou, Mel son, Troy and E Money Bags
Naming more people in the neighborhood
And a conversation over shrimp and lobster
Recalling a conversation about food
And Benny Hiners heard Chico stopped boxin, and started robbin diners
Heard that someone stopped boxing and instead started robbing diners
Shout out to Clanvis and Clutch, Bob Dre, Black Will
Sending shoutouts to several people
If the flow don't kill you the Mac will
His rapping will either impress or intimidate others
Writer(s): Eddie Palmieri
Contributed by Adrian O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Fernando Quiñones
on Mi Palo Pa' Rumba
Que Palo pa" Rumba te Cambio a Ti,
Asi, Pa' Que Respete Aqui
Palo pa" Rumba te Cambio a Ti,
Asi, Pa' Que Respete Aqui
La Amistad cuando se da No Se Devuelve
Mejorando Entendimiento Te Aconsejo
Yo No Me Explico Porque Tu Piensas
Asi de Mi, Si Jamas Pienso Mal Yo de Ti
Que Palo pa" Rumba te Cambio a Ti
Que Palo pa" Rumba te Cambio a Ti,
Asi, Pa' Que Respete Aqui
Palo pa" Rumba te Cambio a Ti,
Asi, Pa' Que Respete Aqui
La Amistad cuando se da No Se Devuelve
Mejorando Entendimiento Te Aconsejo
Yo No Me Explico Porque Tu Piensas
Asi de Mi, Si Jamas Pienso Mal Yo de Ti
Que Palo pa" Rumba te Cambio a Ti
Coro: Si Somos Guerreros Pues Palo Pa' Rumba